THIEVES who stole almost £2,000 raised by staff and children at a primary school’s Christmas fayre have left the headteacher heartbroken.

Longleaze Primary School in Royal Wootton Bassett was targeted in the early hours of Sunday morning by burglars who kicked open the office doors, smashed into a safe and stole £1,800.

The money had been raised by staff, parents and pupils at its annual Christmas fayre the day before and was to be used for a pantomime and equipment for the school’s 262 children.

The site manager was alerted to the theft when the alarms went off around 2am.

Headteacher Clare Pickard said she was devastated by the cruel act.

She said: “It’s breaking my heart thinking about it, how could somebody do this to us?

“It makes me feel sick, this was money for our children, to pay for so many things for the school, we are just thinking, who could do this to us?

“It leaves a nasty taste in your mouth. We’re trying to focus on the positive and how lovely the Christmas fayre was but it’s hard.

“That money was going towards improving the school lives of all our children. It was going towards the pantomime, a barbecue we were due to hold, school equipment for the children.

"We did this to make sure the parents did not have to pay for anything and it’s all been taken away.

“I want the people who did this caught, I want them to stand in front of the children and tell us why they did it and apologise. I know that won’t happen but I just want answers. I’ve gone from shocked to so angry whenever I think about it.”

Wiltshire Police are investigating the incident. They are looking to speak to a male seen at 1.15am on Sunday November 27. He is described as white, over 6ft tall wearing a dark coloured jacket, with a grey hoodie underneath and dark jeans.

A spokesman said: “In the early hours of Sunday 27th November thieves gained entry to the Longleaze Primary School in Royal Wootton Bassett.

“Once inside they stole a quantity of cash which had been raised by the staff, students and friends at the annual Christmas Fayre to help support the school in its work with the children.

“The investigation is ongoing with CSI, local enquiries and CCTV, this really is an appeal to anyone who knows who was involved in this theft, we suspect the offenders to be local and aware of the fund raising event that took place."

If you have information call Wiltshire Police on the non-emergency 101 number quoting crime reference:- 54160106623 or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

To donate to the school visit its justgiving page here